Environmental Science
What is Environmental science?
This highly popular course involves the scientific study of how the environment supports us, how we threaten these support systems, and strategies for a more sustainable lifestyle. The subject draws on many study areas including geology, geography, economics, politics and sociology.
Why choose Environmental Science?
Environmental science is highly topical and focuses on important environmental questions in a scientific context, such as population and sustainability, energy resources, global climate change and wildlife and water resource management. In addition, Environmental science looks at engaging issues that allow students to apply their scientific and technical knowledge to help solve environmental problems on a local and global scale.
What can you gain from studying Environmental science?
In addition to helping students acquire subject knowledge, Environmental science allows students to:
• study a hands-on science, learn about important global issues and understand future global changes
• raise their environmental awareness and learn how to reduce their ecological footprint
• make informed decisions about political issues
• model environmental hazards in the laboratory and develop challenging fieldwork skills
• support their pure science options
When can I study Environmental science?
Environmental Science is first studied at Christleton in Year 9, students can opt to follow the AQA GCSE specification for 2 lessons per fortnight; this can be continued into Year 10.
At GCSE level students follow the AQA course and all students take part in a residential course in Year 10 to further their understanding of the topics and to prepare for the examination in Year 11.
Students can continue to follow an Environmental Studies A level course in Years 12 and 13. Further residential fieldwork is undertaken and students have the opportunity to attend the Climate Change Conference in London.
As the saying goes ‘if you aren’t part of the solution, you're part of the problem’
Chester Zoo Visit - December 2010
As part of their GCSE Environmental Science course, and the Eco Schools Award, Year 11 students visited Chester Zoo to learn about the role of the zoo in the conservation of biodiversity.
Students learned about some of the threats to our wildlife and the projects being carried out locally, and around the world, to help the earth's biodiversity.